Pet cage

ABSTRACT

A pet cage for carrying an animal in a vehicle. The pet cage includes a pet housing and an integral base. The base includes openings for accommodating a vehicle seat belt to secure the cage to the vehicle seat. A plurality of vent openings are formed in the pet housing two of which form a handle therebetween.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an animal transportation device and hasspecific reference to a pet cage for use in a vehicle.

A pet cage having enclosed pet containment area and an integral basewhich is adapted for accommodating a vehicle seat belt therethrough tofirmly attach the cage to the vehicle seat. With the cage securelyfastened to the seat the pet is safely supported by a floor which issubstantially horizontal and spaced above the vehicle seat. A pluralityof vent openings are formed within the housing of the pet cage. A handlefor carrying the cage is defined by two openings in the cage top wall.An interior intermediate horizontal wall extends across the cage toisolate the user's hand grasping the handle from the pet containment arethereby protecting the hand from injury from the animal. Doorways andhinged doors are provided in opposite side walls of the pet cage forallowing ingress and egress into the containment area.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide for a novel pegcage.

Another object of this invention is to provide for a pet cage which maybe securely fastened to the vehicle seat by the vehicle seat belttraversing openings formed in the base.

Another object of the invention is to provide for a pet cage wherein thehand of a person carrying the cage is isolated from the pet containmentarea.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon a reading ofthe following description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the pet cage shown attached to avehicle seat.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view with portions cut away forillustrative purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiment herein disclosed is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the application to the precise forms disclosed.Rather it is chosen and described in order that others skilled in theart might utilize its teachings.

As illustrated in the drawings, pet cage 10 includes a generallycylindrical housing 12 and an integral base 14 preferably formed from amolded clear plastic material. Housing 12 includes vertical side wall18, top wall 20 and bottom wall 22. Base 14 extends from bottom wall 22opposite wall 18 and includes sides 26. Two openings 28 are formed inside wall 18 to provide ingress and egress of the pet to be transported.Doors 30 .[.ar.]. .Iadd.are .Iaddend.pivotally connected to housing sidewall 22 by common hinges 32 to cover openings 28. Doors .[.80.]..Iadd.30 .Iaddend.may be locked closed by common latches 34. An opening.[.86.]. .Iadd.36 .Iaddend.having a flattened side 37 is formed inopposing base sides 26 as illustrated in the figures. A plurality ofvent openings 40 are formed in side wall 18. Two openings 41 are formedin top wall 20 define a handle 42 therebetween for carrying cage 10. Aninterior horizontal wall 39 is positioned between the upper row of ventopenings 40 and openings 41 to isolate handle 42 from pet containmentarea 24 defined by walls 18, 22 and 39.

In use, pet cage 10 is placed on a vehicle seat 8. One end of a vehicleseat belt 38 is placed through both openings 36 and attached to itsmating belt part as is common. The seat belt is tightened in a commonmanner to draw cage 10 tightly against the seat and seat back of thevehicle. When secured to the vehicle seat as described, bottom wall 22is generally horizontal for safe transportation of animal 7 which issupported by wall 22. By threading the belt through openings 36 in base14 the animal containment area 24 is unobstructed, which isolates thebelt from the animal thereby protecting the belt from becoming soiled.

To transport pet cage 10 between vehicles a user grasps handle 42 and isisolated from contact with the animal by wall 39.

It should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to theprecise form disclosed but may be modified within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:
 1. An animal cage comprising an integral housing and base, saidhousing including an outer side wall, a bottom wall, .Iadd.and.Iaddend.a top wall .[.and an intermediate wall.]., said.[.intermediate.]. side .[.and.]..Iadd., .Iaddend.bottom .Iadd.and top.Iaddend.walls defining an animal containment area, said outer side walland said top wall including a plurality of openings therethrough forproviding air flow into said animal containment area, an enlargedopening formed through said outer side wall constituting means forproviding animal passage into and out of said containment area, saidbase being formed in one piece with said housing and extending belowsaid housing bottom wall and defining openings therein that accommodatesa vehicle seat belt, said housing bottom wall constituting a horizontalsupport for an animal, wherein said housing bottom wall isolates saidvehicle seat belt from said containment area.
 2. The animal cage ofclaim .[.1.]. .Iadd.6.Iaddend., wherein two of said openings in said topwall define .[.a.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.handle therebetween; said.Iadd.housing also includes an .Iaddend.intermediate wall .Iadd.betweensaid top and bottom walls .Iaddend.constituting a means for isolatingsaid handle from said animal containment area.
 3. In combination, ananimal carrier and a vehicle seat, said vehicle seat including arestraint device connected to a support, said animal carrier including ahousing having integral top, bottom and side walls .[.and anintermediate wall between said top and bottom walls.].; said .Iadd.top,.Iaddend.bottom, .Iadd.and .Iaddend.side .[.and intermediate.]. wallsdefining an animal containment area, and an integral base extendingdownwardly from said bottom wall, said base including aligned openingtherethrough, said restraint device passing through said aligned openingand constituting means for securing said carrier to said vehicle seat,said animal confinement area being spaced from said seat by said base.4. The combination of claim 3 and vent openings formed through saidhousing side and top wall, two of said vent openings in said top walldefining a handle therebetween.
 5. The combination of claim 4 .[.whereinsaid.]. .Iadd.and a .Iaddend.intermediate wall constitutes means forisolating said handle from said animal containment area. .Iadd.6. Theanimal cage of claim 1 wherein said top wall also includes an integralhandle. .Iaddend.